Does bentonite clay have side effects?
Adverse effects
This toxicity led to hypokalemia and hypochromic anemia presented with lethargy and muscle weakness (66). In a 3-year-old girl treated with oral and rectal bentonite as a home remedy, severe hypokalemia occurred which might occur due to the gastrointestinal binding of essential electrolytes (67).
). According to the Best Bentonite website, customers mix the product with water and ingest it or apply it to their skin. FDA laboratories have found elevated levels of lead in “Best Bentonite Clay.” Exposure to lead can cause serious damage to the central nervous system, kidneys, and immune system.
Bentonite clay is generally OK to use on your skin and hair. But the FDA doesn't regulate health and cosmetic products, so there's no way to know exactly what's in them or if they'll work. If you want to try it, test a little bit of the clay on your skin first to make sure you don't have a bad reaction.
So yeah, other than dry skin, there aren't that many downsides to using bentonite clay. “However, as with any ingredient, you may have an allergic or irritant contact dermatitis,” Dr. Nussbaum explains.
Bentonite itself is probably not more toxic than any other particulate not otherwise regulated and is not classified as a carcinogen by any regulatory or advisory body, but some bentonite may contain variable amounts of respirable crystalline silica, a recognized human carcinogen.
The major drawbacks of bentonite use are color loss from red wines and a tendency to produce voluminous sediment. The latter can cause considerable wine loss during racking.
For general detox, use up to 2-½ teaspoons bentonite clay daily for 2 weeks, in divided doses, morning and night: about 1-¼ teaspoons in the morning and the same in the evening. For heavy metal detox, 1-¼ teaspoons can be taken 3 times daily.
Whereas arsenic is rapidly excreted, lead accumulates within tissues, especially liver, kidney, brain, and bone. Recently, the US FDA has warned consumers of the potential risk of lead poisoning due to elevated levels of lead in 2 types of widely available bentonite clay products often used for medicinal purposes.
When bentonite is added on the first day, it disperses through the wine and most settles to the bottom within a few hours. At the end of 48 hours, however, the bentonite is back in circulation.
Add 1 cup of sea salt, 1 cup of Epsom salt, and 10 drops of eucalyptus oil to warm running water. You can also add up to 2 cups of baking soda, if you chose. Mix well by moving water around with your hand or foot. Soak for 12 minutes up to an hour.
How long should you sit in a bentonite clay bath?
Try to soak for at least 20 minutes to allow the clay to do its job and provide a thorough detox. To ensure you stay hydrated, keep a glass of water close by and take frequent sips.
Know what to expect.
Any detox process can subject your body to flu-like symptoms like headache and nausea. These symptoms may result from the toxins leaving your body. Bring a liter of water to the bath with you and drink it slowly during your bath. You can add lemon to your water to help settle nausea.

While additives like bentonite tend to be low in histamine and other amines, they can sometimes trigger the release of the body's existing, natural histamine.
Bentonite clay is a common ingredient in detox and cleansing products. It has an alkalizing effect on the body and when taken correctly, it can help balance gut bacteria.
Pour about 1/5 -1 cup of bentonite clay in a bath of hot water, breaking up the clumps. It is typically recommended to take start by taking a clay bath one a week, then moving to about once a month for maintenance.
Bentonite toxicosis is suggested by the coexistence of hypokalemia hypochromic anemia in cats presented with lethargy and muscle weakness.
Effects of long-term or repeated exposure
The substance may have effects on the lungs. This may result in fibrosis (see ICSC 0808). Bentonites is aluminium silicate and contains crystalline silica. The content varies widely from less than 1% to about 60%.
How often you use it comes down to your skin type and concerns. "If you're using bentonite clay as part of an anti-acne regimen, you can apply it two to three times a week," says Dr. Turner. "For those with sensitive skin, use once a week and then work your way up if there's no irritation."
In alternative medicine, bentonite is used for the following purposes: Detoxification (removal of toxic substances) To improve constipation (bowel movements that are infrequent and/or difficult to pass) To improve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, a disorder of the large intestine)
Bentonite clay detox helps to break this cycle through promoting gut health and allowing the body to clear toxins through the gut, which in turn helps the liver function properly.
Is bentonite clay good for healing?
Bentonite is one of the most effective and powerful healing clays. Bentonite can be used externally as a clay poultice, mud pack or in the bath and, in skin care recipes like our Montana Mud Scrub. Bentonite Clay is composed of aged volcanic ash.
In the bowl, gradually mix three to four cups of sodium bentonite clay with warm water until the mixture becomes smooth. Then, slowly pour this mixture into the bath of warm water. That's it! Try to soak for at least 20 minutes to allow the clay to do its job and provide a thorough detox.
How often should you use bentonite clay? Internally, you can take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon once per day, as many days of the week as you'd like. Most experts recommend that you don't consume BC internally for more than four weeks in a row.
Bentonite Clay for internal use
By effectively cleansing the gut of toxins, chemicals, impurities, and heavy metals, it can help relieve digestive problems such as constipation, IBS, and nausea. For an easy way to reap these benefits, a daily Bentonite Clay drink will do the trick!
According to some research, bentonite clay may be helpful in removing some lead from the body. Bentonite clay has a negative charge, meaning that it can bind to positively charged metals such as lead. One study found that bentonite clay was effective at removing lead from wastewater.
Soothes and heals: Bentonite clay helps to reduce the look of scars and is ideal for treating blemishes, but also works to minimize skin conditions (like eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis). The removal of toxins can calm the skin, reducing inflammation and healing cracks and scars.
The cleansing that bentonite clay detox promotes is meant to enhance normal bowel movements when the gut is not functioning properly. It helps to restore normal function of the bowels, which will help reduce leaky gut and other GI distresses. It can be helpful for those experiencing gas and bloating as well.
It is best to take bentonite clay on an empty stomach to keep it from interfering with the absorption of nutrients. Take bentonite clay at least one hour before a meal or before taking supplements and herbs. Drink eight or more glasses of water throughout the day to help prevent constipation.
Bentonite should not be taken two hours before or after medication or nutritional supplements. Although there haven't been adverse effects in amounts used in nutritional supplements, there are no studies on the long-term safety of bentonite in humans.
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